Ramesh Kumar’s land resurveyed following High Court order

Deputy Commissioner to submit report to the government

Officials of the departments of Revenue and Forests, led by Deputy Commissioner D.K. Ravi, conducted a resurvey of the land owned by the former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly K.R. Ramesh Kumar in Srinivasapur taluk on Thursday.

The High Court of Karnataka, on July 11, 2013, ordered a resurvey of the land in possession of Mr. Kumar to check whether he was occupying reserve forest land or not.

Mr. Kumar is facing charges of encroaching on about 64 acres of forestland at Hosahudya and Rayalpad villages in the taluk.

Officials of the Department of Forests were in for some embarrassing moments during the survey as they did not have proper records, it is learnt.

“The land was surveyed and the mahajar done. A report will be submitted to the government,” Mr. Ravi told The Hindu. There were some records of disputes in connection with the land, he added.

Justice A.S. Bopanna had passed the order while disposing of a petition filed by Mr. Kumar questioning the March 26, 2012 order issued by the authorities asking him to vacate the land at Hosahudya and Rayalpad villages after it was found in a survey that the land in question belonged to a reserve forest.

The court directed that the second survey should be conducted in the presence of the Deputy Commissioner of Kolar district.

Apart from Mr. Ravi, Divisional Forest Officer Mune Gowda and revenue officials were present. Mr. Kumar was also present. Heavy security arrangements were in place during the survey.

Mr. Kumar’s contention is that he had purchased the land from the legal heirs of the original grantees.